ABOUT PITT

Founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Building upon its proud history, Pitt has established itself as a leader in education, a pioneer in research, and a partner in regional development.

The University offers world-class programs in the arts and sciences, health sciences (medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dental medicine, public health, and rehabilitation), law, business, engineering, education, information sciences, public and international affairs, and social work. A total of 27,020 undergraduate and graduate students were enrolled on the University’s Oakland campus for the 2007 fall term. Serving them were 11,335 full- and part-time faculty, research associates, and staff, making Pitt one of the largest employers in Pennsylvania. In addition, the University’s commitment extends to four regional campuses in western Pennsylvania.

In recent years, Pitt has emerged as one of the nation’s leading academic centers of basic and applied research, as evidenced by a rising trajectory of funding and a growing body of contributions to new knowledge built upon interdisciplinary collaborative ventures in a wide range of disciplines. Pitt’s total research spending in fiscal year 2007 was approximately $620 million. The University (together with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Magee-Womens Research Institute, and other affiliates) currently ranks sixth among academic institutions and affiliates in funding from the National Institutes of Health, reflecting Pitt’s strength in health sciences research.

In collaboration with UPMC, one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, the University maintains high levels of expertise and research activity in the basic sciences, translational research, and clinical outcomes and health policy research. Areas of particular excellence include neuroscience, molecular genetics, imaging technology, bioengineering, oncology, medical robotics, drug discovery, regenerative medicine, transplantation, and computational biology.

The University’s leadership role in economic development and technology transfer through its participation in such collaborative ventures as the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, an entrepreneurial public-private partnership, fosters new company start-ups and job creation in the region’s growing biotechnology sector. From 1999 through 2006, 48 companies were formed that were dependent upon the licensing of technology developed at Pitt.